Teaching+Strategies

 **TEACHING STRATEGIES** by Rachel C. & Lauren B.

**INTRODUCTION** Many individuals in this country are xenophobic and believe that English is the only language that should be spoken. This is fostered by the myths that surround the English Language Learner (ELL). Once those myths are put to rest, the people of this nation might embrace bilingualism. Research shows that knowing two or more languages is positively associated with intellectual and academic achievement. However, bilingualism is a politically charged issue, it is best promoted through well run bilingual programs, that add to the child's native language rather than eliminating it, such as through Enrichment or Two-Way Immersion programs. Bilingual education has never been sufficiently implemented nor supported. An effective program would require specific guidelines based on an integrated-skills approach that take into account students' varied learning styles. According to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, all children have a legal right to an education regardless of color, race, gender or national origin. For a bilingual student, an effective education would include incorporation of his native and personal background information to the new material. Research has proven that bilingual students learn best in a comprehensive environment that incorporates their native culture and language in the second language material. The educator should use varied strategies paying close attention to each student’s progress. Mandates would ensure equal education, but unfortunately mandates may not be implemented willingly. Web sites have been created for educators and parents in order to provide ways in which to best educate an English Language Learner (ELL). Teachers have access to lessons that follow NYS standards and parents have access to fun, educational web sites that promote vocabulary development and self-esteem. This guide summarizes some pertinent information regarding teaching strategies for bilingual education students.

1. All language learners can benefit from a quality dual language program. For a bilingual student, a highly effective classroom acknowledges and values the student's culture and language. Teachers should use a flexible, or varied approach to ensure bilingual students are grasp material. High standards should be maintained, for every student has learning ability.  2. The instructor can no longer teach language for language's sake as once was believed. The instructor must take into account the child's learning style, environment, motivation, the material availability. Basic form of language must be taught as well as the modes of communication: reading, writing, listening and speaking. This follows the Common Underlying Proficiency Model or CUP. If the child's modes of communication are strong in their native language they will be strong in the other.
 * MAIN POINTS **

3. English Language Learners (ELLs) may appear to be grasping the English language by reproducing common cues or behaviors based on memory though they have not fully grasped the language. Teachers should be aware of these behaviors and use peers to facilitate the language acquisition. Assessment of a child's language skills must distinguish between Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills or BICS and Cognitive/Academic Language Proficiency or CALP. Otherwise, a child might be incorrectly placed in an English only classroom based upon the assumption that they have acquired sufficient English language knowledge.  4. Students learn in a variety of ways, ELLs are no exception. The use of a student's culture and native language along with a variety of activities should be used to help the ELL student learn the new material. Thorough assessments should be kept for each child so that their progress can be appropriately monitored.  5. There are learning difficulties that take place when learning a new language. Unfortunately, there is no widely accepted process for determining whether that difficulty is related to a learning disability. The teacher is the most important step in putting a child in the ideal, effective learning environment and should therefore familiarize herself with pre and post referral options.

 6. Teaching ELLs can present a challenge to educators and parents that have not been trained in the area of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). There are resources that can provide teachers and parents with the necessary tools for high-quality education and web sites that can assist the learner. These web sites can provide samples, effective lesson plans, assist in vocabulary development, or provide positive ways in which to encourage a child to feel successful and motivated to want to learn.  7. Teachers struggle to develop lessons plans to meet the needs of a culturally diverse classroom. NYS guidelines meet diverse needs while addressing the needs of both elementary and secondary classrooms, students with interrupted formal schooling, targeting specific skills and fostering the home/school connection.

 8. The student's own native language knowledge and that of her teacher are of great important when learning the new language. It is beneficial for teachers to be aware that the student often emulates the language patterns of her teacher, who serves as the primary model for the proper usage of language.
 * LINKS AND ANNOTATIONS**

Brown University: The Education Alliance. (2004). Teaching Diverse Learners: Equity and excellence for all. Language support for students in the home and in school//.// The Education Alliance: Brown University. Retrieved on February 15, 2009, from: http: //[|__www.alliance.brown.edu/tdl/tl-strategies/be-principles.shtml__]// //This site serves as a guideline for teachers to instruct in a way that acknowledges both the student’s home environment and culture. It emphasizes the use of a variety of teaching methods to optimize L2 comprehension. Teachers should instruct by incorporating peer activities, hold high standards for all children, using theme based units, emphasizing context, implementing a variety of learning strategies, maintaining appropriate assessments and allow students to learn with L1 and L2, and most importantly incorporating the student's culture and background into the classroom. (RC) //   //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Colorín Colorado. (2007). Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners. Washington, DC: WETA Learning Media Retrieved on February 20, 2009 from <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">[] //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">This is a comprehensive website which delineates the reading strategies needed to be taught; discusses why reading comprehension skills and vocabulary development are important to for ELLs even after they have been mainstreamed; the steps to follow for explicitly teaching a particular strategy as well as a chart for self reflection that the child will use after he/she reads; and after questions to be answered by the child in order to further their thinking at the literal, interpretive and applied levels. Further, the article discusses what to do for more advanced learners as well as additional ideas for building ELL comprehension in regards to nonfiction reading. Additionally, the article was written by the bilingual website, Colorín Colorado, which is a resource for parents and teachers. The activities were designed with Pre K-3 in mind however, it can be adapted for older learners. (LB)

Espinosa, L //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">. (2008). //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Challenging Common Myths About Young English Language Learners // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">. New York, NY: FCD Policy Brief Advancing PK-3 (No. Eight) January 2008. 2009 Foundation for Child Development. Retrieved on February 20, 2009 from : [|http://www.fcd-us.org/resource/resources_show.htm?doc_id=669789] // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">This article presents <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">myths about English Language Learners (ELLs); guiding the reader to abandon six general misconceptions of ELLs and stating the benefits of becoming bilingual not only for L2 learners but for L1 learners as well. The article ends with the following conclusions: all children have the ability to become bilingual and that the long term affects are extremely advantageous, both L1’s and L2’s benefit from a dual language program, and that Hispanic parents will enroll their children in quality programs, as they value education, as long as the programs are available and affordable to them. (LB)

Howard, E. R., Sugarman, J., Perdomo, M., & Adger C. T. (2005). How are students with special learning needs identified? The Education Alliance: Brown University. Retrieved on February 15, 2009. from: [|http:// www.cal.org/twi/toolkit/CI/QA/special_a1.htm]. ELL student learning patterns may appear to signal a special educational need when the student is simply experiencing issues associated with learning a new language. Though the process for identifying an ELL student with special educational needs is similar from school to school, the steps often differ greatly. So, the teacher is usually the first, major step in determining such a child. Many teachers consult a checklist, and several committees before the child is referred for special education. Because improper placement in a special needs class is highly possible, teachers should be able to appropriately distinguish these issues. (RC)

NCLA. (2006). NCELA Presents: In the Classroom·a Toolkit for Effective Instruction of English Learners ELL Toolkit. Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs. Retrieved on February 20, 2009 from: <span style="color: rgb(74, 36, 134);">__[]__ This website is designed for teachers of classrooms with culturally and linguistically diverse students. The lessons are frequently updated as research supports the development of the website. Lessons are based on Standards for ELLs. There are six toolkit areas and each area is linked to at least one lesson plan or activity to be used as a guide for creating lessons to fit to the needs of the teacher. Toolkit can be specifically targeted to the needs of the teacher: elementary, secondary, diverse needs, interrupted formal schooling, home/school connection, and school skills. (LB)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> Oxford, R. (2001). Integrated Skills in the ESL/EFL Classroom. ESL Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1, January/February. Retrieved on February 20, 2009 from: <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[] The article discusses language as a tapestry, an interwoven set of skills that blend harmoniously, which creates the bilingual child. The instructor must take into account the child’s learning style, the environment must be conducive to that style and the child needs to be motivated, and the proper materials need to be available. The tapestry must also include the modes of communication (reading, writing, listening, speaking) as well as the basic form of language. The bilingual child will not be truly bilingual if the tapestry is not created and language is taught for language’s sake. The article names this as, segregated-skill Instruction. It examines the segregated model of language in order to show that the integrated-skill approach is the best model. It also explains the two forms of the integrated-skill approach: content-based instruction and task-based instruction, as well as comments on the advantages and the steps to follow in order to implement the integrated-skill approach. (LB)<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Regents of the State of New York. (2004). The teaching of language arts to limited English proficient /English language learners: Learning standards for English as a second language. New York: New York State Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education. (p. 33) Retrieved on February 15th, 2009 from <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">[] (Early Childhood Grades 2-4) The Learning Standards for English as a Second Language serve as a guide for Teachers of students that are learning English as a second language. Five standards are laid out which include tasks and performance indicators students should achieve within a 10 week period of their ESL instruction. These assignments are also broken down by Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. Topics include data collection, popular culture, art, personal reflections, social interaction, local and foreign current events. The teacher is asked to consider each student's proficiency level for the assigned tasks. (RC)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Stone, B & Stone, B. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> (2009).<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Kindersay.com Preschool Learning//. Social Media Capital Inc. Retrieved on February 20, 2009 from: <span style="color: rgb(74, 36, 134);">[] // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">The <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> Kindersay //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> website was designed by two special education teachers with degrees in social work and psychology respectively. The website is designed around promoting parent involvement and positive reinforcement for the child. It states from the authors that this website was deigned around those two basic principles mentioned. It is a website that promotes vocabulary development and encourages the child to continue with the activities without feeling defeated. It also gives a hand gesture if need be for those children that learn kinesthetically. The section "My Family" //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> allows the child to make a personal connection, which makes the learning not only fun but meaningful. (LB) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">WestEd Center for Child and Family Studies //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;"> (2005). //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Cognitive strategies used by child and teaching tips to match these strategies//. San Diego, California: Wested Center for Child and Family Studies. Retrieved on February 15, 2009 from __[]__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Students often assume that what is being said is directly related to the topic so teachers should use clarity and speak specifically. In order to communicate, students use expressions they know their teacher understands so the article recommends the teacher frequently use the same phrases. It is necessary to pay attention to the ELL child's speaking patterns and behaviors making an effort not to constantly correct the student but acknowledge and reply in the correct manner, acting as a model. This article highlights some common behaviors of the ELL. These behaviors might give a teacher the impression that the student is firmly grasping the language, when perhaps they are not. Strategies are highlighted for use with these behaviors. Students may use logos or common figures in conversation based on memory though they have not yet fully grasped language rules and meaning. In these cases it is recommended to emphasize context and promote friendships/conversations with fluent students that are communicate well an ELL student. (RC)